Mark Souder: “This amendment both would protect transgender in the sense of people who have had sex change operations, and…”

“This amendment both would protect transgender in the sense of people who have had sex change operations, and transvestites, people who dress up as the opposite sex, who are not covered, apparently, under the underlying bill. This bill was to come in front of our committee. Ostensibly, partly because there was a major convention, a disruption occurred on the other party's side over this particular amendment, and the bill was withdrawn. Then continued debate occurred, and in committee a number of the Democrat members voted against the bill because this amendment wasn't included, and, presumably, that was going to be so the amendment could be offered on the floor and people would have a right to vote on this. I don't really need a right to vote on it. I think most people probably know where I stand on the issue. But I think that to not have a vote on an amendment like this is a political ploy. It's a political ploy in the sense of what appears to be happening here is that the majority doesn't want to have the embarrassment of their side dividing on an issue.”